Warriors: Stardust Veins
by WishfulVixen
Summary: Vixenkit and her siblings are about to become apprentices. But an inexplicable omen on the first day of her apprenticeship give Vixenkit reason for unease. When someone in the clan is caught red-handed and tried for murder, it's up to her to discover the truth lurking in the shadows. Will she listen to the voices that plague her nights or will the innocent cat's murderer escape?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Large, golden eyes lazily watched as warm sunlight fluttered into the den, casting even the prickly brambles of the nursery front to look soft. It dappled the soft brown earth of the nursery, flickering different colours all over the den and its walls. The occasional shadow flitted past the entrance as the cats outside moved about, working as usual.

With the cozy warmth of the nursery, Vixenkit could guess at this point that it was getting close to Sunhigh, if it wasn't already. She slowly licked her dark paws, and pressed her eyes shut drowsily, the urge to nap creeping dangerously near. She faintly heard some high pitched squeals outside the den just barely drowned out by her mother's own purring.

Vixenkit jerked her face backward and mewled in surprise when two bodies crashed through the bramble and collided messily on the nursery floor. The impact kicked up a decent cloud of dirt that Vixenkit found herself trying to wipe out of her ears and face. She squinted indignantly as the pair continued to tussle in front of her, tossing earth and moss everywhere in their excitement. Vixenkit just barely managed to duck her head and pin her ears down as a scrap of moss bedding was tossed over her head and onto the queen's pelt whom she'd snuggled by.

Said queen looked at the piece of moss with a glint of annoyance in her golden eye, but made quick work of it by licking it and tossing it aside from her beautiful, dark-red tortoiseshell coat. Vixenkit noted that she seemed happy with her handywork. Finally she turned her head to the tussling kits. Her kits, rather.

"Alright, alright. Juniperkit, Flowerkit, take it easy," She started, tilting her chin up slightly. "Do you want your first task as apprentices to be fixing the nursery entrance?" She questioned.

Juniperkit hopped away from his sister and shook the dust out of his short black and white pelt fairly easily. "Flowerkit started it!" He yelped then turned to Flowerkit. The golden kit with bits of moss obscuring her longer fur looked appalled.

"I didn't, Mother!" she cried out. "It was Splashkit!"

"H-hah...s-sorry Cherryface." mewled a white and sandy-patched cat from the bramble opening, casting the nursery in a cool shadow.

Vixenkit wrinkled her nose one more time and sneezed as Cherryface pulled her ears back and huffed at the wild kits.

"I didn't ask who started it, I just asked you to stop." said Cherryface, her tone softening again. "Is that how you want to start off your first day as apprentices? Trying to get each other in trouble? Justice is all well and good, but don't get petty." Cherryface finally turned her attention back to the sneering kit that had made curled up against her. Feeling Cherryface's cold nose bump against her spine, Vixenkit squealed in surprise, before she felt Cherryface nudge her up further until she was standing on her own legs.

"Curling up into a little ball won't make you feel better, Vixenkit."

Vixen pulled back her ears and whined, she stared at the wonderfully cozy spot where she found solace just a moment ago but didn't try to go back.

"Oooh...I feel like I'm gonna be sick…" She started. "I feel like I've eaten a pigeon's-worth of yarrow,"

Vixenkit's longer ears swiveled back when she caught the sound of the bramble moving again, and moments later she felt Splashkit press against her side, albeit a bit roughly.

"C'mon! Do you even know what a mouse-worth of yarrow would do to you?!" she mewled with a tinge of excitement. "You wouldn't be able to stand up from all the hurling you'd be doing!"

Splashkit raised her nose up as she continued. " **I** should know, cause Appleleaf told me!" Cherryface once again snorted and looked at the kit with disbelief.

"Is that so? Warmheart told me a different story," She responded.

In response, shuffling stirred from the far end of the nursery where a pale brown and white queen rested.

"Mmhm," Purred Warmheart. "I have the feeling it included more of you and Littlekit mistaking yarrow for "a tasty dandelion"." The tiny cat next to her seemed to squirm at the memory and stood up, though he could hardly be seen past Cherryface as his stubby little legs left him half the size of any normal cat.

"Mother…" he grumbled, trying to hide himself from the snickering cats. Splashkit seemed to glare at her mother instead.

A third queen, Acornfur, squawked in surprise as a little dark-grey fur ball managed to wrangle out of her grasp, and bumbled straight into Vixenkit's legs.

"Oof!" Vixen wobbled inelegantly with the collision but managed to hold herself up regardless. "Ouch…! Be careful Smokekit…" she complained.

Smokekit shook her head and looked up at the older cat with wide, glimmering eyes.

"What's wrong Vixenkit? Don't you want to be an apprentice?" she asked, ignoring what just took place. Vixenkit was tongue tied for a moment.

"Sure I do!" she meowed, "I just…! What if I mess up during the ceremony? What if I forget what to do? What if my mentor doesn't like me?! What if I don't like them?!" Vixenkit's breath latched in her throat and she heaved in an attempt to catch a breath. Splashkit pressed up against her side.

"Vixen, as long as I'm around, you'll be perfectly fine!" Splashkit mewed, "As the up and coming medicine cat, I should know! We were born to see the future!"

This time Littlekit spoke up again, giving his sister a skeptical look.

"See the future? I...don't think that's how it works…" He mumbled. Splashkit shrugged and rolled her eyes in response.

"Get prophecies, see the future, same thing really. And **my** prophecy tells me that I'm going to be the greatest medicine cat, and remembered by all." Splashkit announced before using her paw to drag Vixenkit closer to herself. "And so will you- be a good warrior, I mean." She added.

Vixenkit chuckled a bit and purred in thanks to her friend. She internally rolled her eyes at her denmates statement.

Warmheart piped up again from the back of the den, her upper half completely hidden against the shadowed dirt of the cave walls.

"Splashkit is right though, the ceremonies are less daunting than they seem." Warmheart began. "You all line up, Patchstar will say a few words, you touch noses with your mentor, and then you wait till the others finish! That's it!" she purred. The two other queens nodded in on the other hand let her backside flop down on the soft nursery floor.

"I wish I was becoming an apprentice with you all! Instead I have to wait a whole moon..." She moped

Acornfur rolled onto her side from her position and scoffed.

"Trust me, you're not the only one," She meowed. "You all are getting far too big to all be shoved in this tiny den." With that she stretched her aching leg muscles as if to prove a point, then reached in to snatch Smokekit away by her scruff and began to bathe her. "Until then, you're stuck with me." She snickered good-naturedly whilst Smokekit writhed and shoved her mother's shoulders with her little paws in retort.

The laughter of Vixenkit's cousins and siblings helped her release some of the tension in her back, and she looked to Cherryface. They locked eyes for a long couple of moments before Cherryface blinked gently at her daughter.

"Just pay attention, and you'll be fine."

Vixenkit lowered her head and looked at the ground intently. She breathed in. Then out, slowly. _'Right...just...listen, and you'll be okay...it'll be okay.'_ she recited in her head and closed her eyes.

As Vixenkit looked back up at Cherryface, she just barely had any chance to see the queen widen her eyes in surprise before she felt something launch itself into her side. She fell onto her side, feeling Splashkit's paws pressed against her chest. There was a glint of mischief in Splashkit's grey-green eyes which sparked the same sensation in Vixenkit's spirit.

"Not fair!" she yelped before she twisted to throw Splash off balance; scrambled out from under her and leaped on her. The two latched onto each other in a kitten fight, having no idea which way they were wrestling.

From her peripheral vision, Vixenkit saw Juniperkit and Flowerkit squeal and leap away from them, and by the sound of the bramble rustling again, she knew they had run outside.

Cherryface's annoyed hiss lurched Vixenkit into reality and Splashkit off of her, and both proceeded to scurry outside in a fit of giggles and excitement.


	2. Chapter 2

The bramble around the nursery entrance clung onto Vixenkit's long fur as if begging her to stay inside with the warmth. Extending her claws, Vixen managed to pull through the thorns using the soil as leverage to yank her way through. The thorns weren't sharp enough to reach her skin, which she sighed a breath of relief over. Vixenkit glanced behind herself as her tail flitted out from the dark entrance stopping for a moment, recalling a time when the thorns loomed over her instead of snagging her.

THUD

Vixenkit collided clumsily onto the earth, kicking up a cloud of brown dust that hid in her red-brown pelt. She coughed in an attempt to regain the air that was knocked out of her lungs and just then she felt a pair of teeth pinch her ear. She squealed and wriggled to see Splashkit's light coat over her, blotching out the sun.

With a quick twist and kick, Splashkit mrowled and leapt away from Vixenkit, who in turn stood again and hurried after her denmate.

With a scuffle of paws Vixenkit noted Splashkits tail whip through a cluster of working cats and she was off after it.

Vixenkit hesitated as she neared the warriors, and the older cats fidgeted in surprise, sensing her uncertainty. They raised their paws to avoid the fumbling kit successfully avoiding her splayed form as she ran by. She felt her flank bump into a warriors leg who let off an annoyed hiss in response and she mewled apologetically, only to receive no response. Again, Vixenkit had to stop.

She scoped out the camp to see Splashkit in the distance, looking smug, taunting her with her prancing.

A snort escaped her dark nose and she dug her hind claws into the dirt, crouching then running after Splashkit.

Of course, her playmate bounded off again, swerving around camp like a squirrel climbed trees.

Vixenkit felt the warmth of the bright sun lick her back, bringing out the shine in her warm coat and the crisp breeze running through her whiskers rushed straight into her heart. She let her mouth hang open just enough to taste the air, smelling the scent of pine and bramble, mixed with the spicy scent of the medicine den as she whizzed by it. Suddenly she caught her friends scent again. She was catching up.

Vixenkit's sharp eyes honed in on Splashkit's racing form and rushed for the she-kit once she was in clear sight. Vixenkit's peripheral vision blurred out as the blood rushed in her ears and she felt a hunger biting at the walls of her stomach. Unconsciously she unsheathed her claws and bared her teeth, her heart galloping in her chest as she drew closer to her prey. Closer and closer, the thin tail being just within biting range.

Finally she sprung high, causing nearby cats to meow in surprise at the height of her leap. Her claws were ready to snag onto the creature beneath her when suddenly Splashkit jutted to the left.

Vixenkit yowled in surprise, completely losing her composure and flailing to catch herself in midair.

She tumbled into the rough ground in a cloud of dust, and rolling gracelessly along. She tried desperately to slow down by clawing at the floor only to scrape at thin dusty earth and rocks. The poor cat's head hurt and she opened her eyes just to feel like her mind was whirring.

Vixenkit blinked a couple of times, trying to stand when she heard scuffling from her left.

"Oh fox dung-"

She barely had a chance to turn to look towards the sound when Splashkit's familiar weight sent both of them rolling. Eventually Vixenkit felt her back fall heavy on the ground, with Splash's paws pressing against her shoulders, effectively holding her down.

"I win." She stated with a purr.

Vixenkit tried to raise her legs to push the other kit off of herself but she could only reach beneath Splashkit's own legs. Vixenkit grumbled indignantly.

"No fair!" She mewled, writhing under her friend, who made no hint towards letting her up, apparently. Before Vixenkit could become panicked over this, a voice bellowed across the camp.

Vixenkit and Splashkit raised their heads in surprise to see Patchstar, Splashkit's father and Thunderclan's leader, standing on the highledge.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting" he called, and all cats in camp, almost simultaneously dropped what they were doing to obey their leader.

Vixenkit's eyes glimmered in wonder, admiring Patchstar's ability to command such control.

It wasn't until, Vixenkit felt Splashkit's weight leave her that she snapped out of her thoughts. Taking her cue, Vixenkit twisted back onto her feet and bounded for the nursery. As she passed by the other dens, she noticed cats of all ages slipping out and around, slinking over to the highrock, and taking their seats there.

As Vixenkit skidded to a halt next to her siblings and Cherryface, she caught eye of a dark-grey striped tabby padding his way up to sit nearby Patchstar.

Vixenkit couldn't help but feel a shiver crawl down her spine when she watched the shadow-like warrior glare over the crowd with amber eyes.

Vixenkit shook her head and flicked her attention back to the forming mass and her family.

She took note of her siblings chatting between each other, and Splashkit talking nonchalantly to Littlekit. Was she the only one who felt out of place? Or nervous for that matter?

Vixenkit's ears flicked towards Thunderclan's medicine den where the snapping of bramble, and some grunts of difficulty wafted out, bringing on the attention of many of the clan members.

A sweet voice resonated from inside the fragrant den, making it difficult to tell by scent who it was, but most could guess based on the bulking deep red tabby coat shoving its way past the brambles.

"A-Ack, one moment Patchstar!" Soon the giant cat emerged from her den, breaking off some bramble as they snagged on her coat. With some trouble she finally managed to push out of the hollow and shook her coat, dropping the broken branches and thorns out of her fur with light taps as they hit the ground. The other clan members groaned amongst themselves.

"We're gonna have to fix it again." mumbled one of them closest to Vixenkit. Vixenkit looked to the medicine cat in pity, whilst the gigantic cat broke yet another few twines just by turning around to check her already caused damage.

"O..Oops...sorry." She muttered, looking up to Patchstar with an awkward posture.

""It's alright, Appleleaf." He meowed, and blinked slowly, gesturing to the seat nearby himself. "Please join us, sister." He said, then turned to glare at his clanmates who immediately straightened up or lowered themselves, swiftly reminded of their place.

Appleleaf nodded simply and began to make her way through the crowd. Most of the cats had to swivel to the side as the broad shouldered tabby pressed through the crowd, gingerly moving her paws as to not step on any of the much smaller cats.

Vixenkit watched the giant and remembered Cherryface telling stories of their mother, Alderclaw, who was an anomaly in size just like Appleleaf. Somehow it seemed that Cherryface and Patchstar didn't inherit their mother's massive body, yet somehow the meekest of them did. Vixenkit couldn't help but wonder why Appleleaf wasn't a warrior instead of a medicine cat. Her huge size would certainly help her on the battlefield.

Vixenkit straightened herself up as Appleleaf hauled herself up to highledge next to Patchstar, casting a shadow over him and his deputy, who's black body blended in with the shade.

Vixen shook her head, and waited for the ceremony to begin. Each time she watched another cat arrive and sit down, her anxiety prickeled the fur on her back. A warm, comforting lick from Cherryface told her that she probably looked like a porcupine, and Vixenkit took to grooming herself in an attempt to relax. She occasionally glanced around herself, noticing Splashkit, Littlekit, Juniperkit and Flowerkit nearby herself. The cats she grew up with all seemed so confident with their figures held tall and proud. Even Littlekit, the runt, whose legs were half that of a regular cats, was standing taller than herself.

Vixen breathed in, then out again. 'Just focus...its going to be okay.' she repeated her mother's words in her head. Again she turned her glance to Splashkit who she was closest to, deciding to inch a bit closer and copy her stature. She raised her head, puffed out her chest, with her tail wrapped neatly around her feet. Vixenkit watched with nervous eyes as Splashkit kept her head high, chin up, and eyes closed to take in the warm sunshine. Vixenkit pulled her ears back and sighed.

Patchstar regarded his clan with pride, and nodded to himself, seeming satisfied with the bunch of cats beneath the shadow of the highledge.

He began to speak.

"I'm pleased to announce that today we're gathered here to apprentice a batch of fine young kits." Patchstar paused, looking to the five young cats near the nursery prickling with excitement. A soft scraping noise reached Vixenkit's ears and she couldn't help but look down to its source, only to find Splashkit's claws ripping the earth under herself. Her eyes were open now as she watched her father intently, as a hawk focused on a field mouse. Vixenkit swallowed nervously and shook her head to try to return her focus onto Patchstar.

"Being 6 moons, they've finally reached the age to be granted a mentor and-" Patchstar continued but was cut off by nearly the entire clan leaping onto their feet at the sound of rattling coming from the camp exit. Wide eyed and bushy tailed, the clan and the apprentices waited for who was invading their camp at such a bad time.

Queens gathered their kits and the most powerful warriors of the clan stood up in front of all the others. Patchstar remained seated as his deputy, Darkheart, rose up to get a better view, ready to pounce at any moment.

For what felt like far too long to Vixenkit, the camp was filled with the growling of cats, waiting for whoever was in the bramble to push through.

Soon enough a voice rolled out from the bramble patch.

"Ugh...darn these thorns- ow my paw-" grumbled a familiar sound.

Finally the bramble parted to free a startlingly large grey tabby from it's clutches. His coat dripped heavily with water, causing the thorns and mud to stick into his fur when otherwise they would have only brushed him.

The tom found himself startled to see the eyes of the entire clan looking at him, and it took a moment for him to realize what he'd arrived to.

"Oh. Oh no, I'm sorry I'm late-" he uttered timidly as he made his way closer to the highledge, gingerly staying a good distance back to avoid blocking the view from the smaller cats. Vixenkit couldn't help but feel amused at the thought that Thunderclan housed two of the largest cats the clans had seen in some time. One being the mild and perhaps sometimes awkward Riverheart, who'd just stumbled into camp, and the other being the ever-gentle medicine cat, Appleleaf. At least, that's what Cherryface always told her. Vixenkit noticed a dark trail leading to Riverheart, which she quickly realized must have come from the water he was drenched in. He must have fallen into a river to get that soaked, ironic as it were.

"Typical Riverheart." Vixenkit heard someone mutter, but the tom himself either didn't hear or ignored them as he hadn't even flinched at the comment. Instead he sat upright in front of Patchstar.

Patchstar's eyes narrowed as he looked at Riverheart, but he soon only sighed, continuing with the ceremony.

"As I was saying. Flowerkit, Juniperkit, Littlekit, Splashkit and Vixenkit, please step forward." He purred, turning his attention to the young cats sitting by the nursery.

Vixenkit was the last to stand up to move, lagging behind the others. As the other four sat down in an orderly row, she found a space closest to Splashkit once again, and took a seat there, keeping to her side like a shadow. Vixenkit turned to Splashkit, smiling softly and hoping for reassurance, but Splashkit only flicked her tail and didn't seem to acknowledge her. Vixenkit's heart fumbled into her stomach and she could feel her form shrinking. She began to crouch, and the odd numbness rushing through her stomach made her unwilling to sit up straight. It wasn't until Juniperkit tapped her tail with his own that she snapped out of it and straightened her spine.

Patchstar looked down at his kin with pride flashing in his warm amber eyes.

He bunched his muscles and leapt down to stand in front of them with a serene grace. He approached Flowerkit first.

"Flowerkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed." Patchstar began. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Flowerpaw. Your mentor will be Silvernose. Silvernose will pass down all she knows onto you." he recited, then looked up to a silver pelted she-cat who stepped forward from her mate's side when beckoned.

"Silvernose, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Warmheart, and you have shown yourself to be a skilled hunter and highly agile. You will be the mentor of Flowerpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Flowerpaw."

With that, Patchstar stepped back, allowing Silvernose to take his place. Vixenkit watched Silvernose gently press her nose against Flowerpaw's briefly and once she stepped back, Vixenkit's ears rung with the cheers of the cats behind and around her.

"Flowerpaw! Flowerpaw! Flowerpaw!" They meowed, watching happily as Silvernose and Flowerpaw moved out of the line to sit amongst the crowd, side by side. Vixenkit couldn't help but grin at seeing the beaming joy on her sister's face.

Vixenkit turned her head once again to give attention to Patchstar, who stood in front of her brother, Juniperkit, now. Once again, he gave the same explanation and speech to him, honouring him with his new apprentice name, Juniperpaw.

From the crowd, Palewhisker, a pale grey cat stepped over, and nodded to Patchstar politely before taking his place in front of Juniperpaw. Vixenkit watched them touch noses, and this time she pulled her ears down, prepared for the uproar that escaped from behind her. She noticed Juniperpaw gleam with joy over his new name, and they too moved in with the crowd who congratulated him just as they did their sister.

Vixenkit, busy watching her siblings, was snapped back to the ceremony by a clearing of Patchstar's throat. He stood in front of her now, and she felt even smaller under his powerful stature.

"Vixenkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed." he began again. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Vixenpaw. Your mentor will be Riverheart. Riverheart will pass down all he knows onto you."

"Vixenpaw." she meowed under her breath. She felt her feet become light and a strange glowing warmth spread in her chest. She barely heard the yowls of the cats behind her as the broad shouldered tabby passed by them, inevitably stepping on some tails. It wasn't until he was right in front of her, exchanging words with Patchstar, that she even really realized he was there. Vixenpaw shook her head vigorously, urging herself to focus on what was going on in front of her. Still, the warmth wouldn't leave her system, as much as the intimidation of standing in the shadow of this giant threatened to crush her enjoyment of the event.

"Riverheart, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Darkfoot, and you have shown yourself to be a kind and faithful clanmate and a powerful fighter. You will be the mentor of Vixenpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her." Patchstar told him, and moved away from the new apprentice, giving way for Riverheart and Vixenpaw to complete their half of the ceremony.

To Vixenpaw, Riverheart's face looked so far away. She instinctively rose up and reached towards his nose, whilst he calmly lowered his head to meet her halfway, pressing his nose against hers. It took every inch of Vixen's self control to stop herself from flinching at the frigid sensation. What on earth was he doing before he arrived?!

The clan behind her startled her again, starting to chant while she had been in mid-thought. And this time she jumped, almost bumping into Riverheart.

"Vixenpaw! Vixenpaw! Vixenpaw!" They cried, all seeming just as happy as the apprentices of their ceremony. Vixenpaw glanced behind herself, and despite her bristled fur, she felt a sense of pride rush through her body, filling her with hope and purpose. _I'm going to be a warrior!_

Vixenpaw looked up to her mentor once again to receive a soft smile. And like the two mentors before him, he began to usher her back to the clan cats. The pair was met with a cacophony of congratulations that she could barely hear over each other, but she didn't seem to care much about that. She understood their sentiment well enough.

Next was Splashkit, and Vixenpaw raised herself higher to get a good view of her best friend's apprenticeship. She could only imagine how honoured she must feel to be announced the next medicine cat apprentice. After all, if being named a Warrior felt this great, of course getting the honour of sharing tongues with Starclan would be so much more. No less, Appleleaf certainly could use an assistant. The poor thing had trouble turning around in the medicine den without knocking something over.

Patchstar finally began the traditional speech again.

"Splashkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed." Patchstar purred. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Splashpaw. Your mentor will be Darkheart. Darkheart will pass down all he knows-"

"Darkheart?!" Screeched Splashpaw, her eyes wide and blazing furiously. "W-What do you mean Darkheart?! He's not a medicine cat!"

Patchstar and the other cats moved backwards slightly, taken aback by the apprentices sudden shriek. Warmheart, swept up to the front of her clanmates, set a glare onto Splashpaw for making a scene.

"Splashkit-I mean Splashpaw…" Patchstar began, pinning his ears back, angered by his daughters behaviour. "We've already chosen a medicine cat-" he tried to explain. Splashpaw however quickly interjected.

" _ **Littlekit**_?! You chose him to be a medicine cat over me?!" hissed Splashpaw, curling her back and tail.

"No, Splashpaw- That's not-" Patchstar tried again to explain, just to be interrupted again.

"I didn't ASK for an explanation!" Splashpaw hissed. "You KNOW how much I wanted this, why would y-"

"Splashpaw!" rumbled a voice from highledge, unbelievably, it came from Appleleaf. The she-cat who's voice had been soft and serene minutes before, changed to loud and commanding, recalling everyones focus and attention.

"This is _**not**_ your choice to make. It's mine." Appleleaf said, adding a look of disapproval to her words. "Starclan has sent me a sign of who the next medicine cat should be. It is not you. I am sorry." She ended, softening her eyes to speak sympathy to Splashpaw.

"But-" Splashpaw began again, but was stopped by Warmheart.

"That is enough. Let Patchstar finish the ceremony. We will discuss this later." said Warmheart, flicking her tail to signal to Patchstar to finish.

Vixen's stomach felt like a dark, heavy pit as she watched the situation unfold before her eyes.

She watched as any joy in Splashpaw's eyes drained away into dullness, and she didn't move when Darkheart's nose met hers. She remained completely silent. Vixenpaw felt Riverheart shift uncomfortably next to her and she wrapped her tail tightly around her feet. She felt a chill in her bones, something foreboding.

Once Splashpaw's ceremony passed, instead of going with the crowd, Splashpaw dashed off on her own into the bramble. Patchstar called after her and with shivering legs Vixenpaw stood, turning away from what was supposed to be a joyous occasion. With little attention drawn to herself, Vixenpaw slipped past her mentor and the other clan cats, while Patchstar announced Appleleaf's choice in apprentice. It was hardly difficult to guess who her apprentice would be, based on the fuss, and she decided to hurry over to where she saw Splashpaw go.

She noticed Splashpaw sitting, tensed like a stone, face hidden from Vixenpaw's view. With soft steps, Vixenpaw approached Splashpaw slowly.

She could feel her legs wobbling under her, unsure about what to expect. Vixenpaw could almost feel her denmate's anger and wanted to avoid it with all her might, but she swallowed her fear and drew closer.

' _This is what good friends do….I'm being a good friend.'_ She reminded herself, despite her bristling fur.

"C-...Congratulations, Splashpaw." She stuttered. Vixenpaw could see the lean warriors muscles bunch up tighter beneath the white fur, but she received no response in return. A shudder coursed through Vixenpaw's veins but she urged herself to ignore her gut.

"Splashpaw? Are you okay?" she meowed.

"No! Everyone hates me! My own father betrayed me!" Splashpaw cried out, and Vixenpaw frowned, trying to understand her anger as if it were her own. A strange sting in her chest told her to offer her support to the disappointed cat.

"I-I don't hate you- " Vixenpaw started. "I-I don't think he's trying to hurt you on purpose. Maybe if you talked-"

Splashpaw was quick to interrupt her. "Littlekit is no better than me to be a medicine cat! They're just choosing him because he can't fight with those tiny legs!" She growled. "I deserve to be in that role! Not him!"

Vixenpaw felt her ears fall down and she quivered. There were few things that frightened her as much as Splashpaw's anger. "A-Appleleaf said that Starclan chose him...I-I don't think any of them meant to injure your hopes…" Vixenpaw tried. "T-that doesn't mean your feelings aren't justified j-just that...yknow…"

Splashpaw remained eerily silent. Vixenpaw gulped again, feeling her mouth becoming dry from her wrenching nerves. Still she pushed on.

"B-besides! Being the deputy's apprentice is pretty cool, m-maybe you'll like i-"

Vixenpaw could barely jump back with a quiet squeal when a blur of pale brown whipped past her face. When her vision caught up to her brain, she could see Splashpaw heaving furiously, and Vixenpaw thought she could see fire in her green eyes.

"S-Splashpaw?" Vixenpaw meowed in cowardice now, but Splashpaw's glare didn't leave.

"Shut up!" Splashpaw demanded. "I don't want this, and you're just trying to make me feel even worse! If you would just let me **TALK**!"

Vixenpaw felt her legs collapse under herself and she quickly fell into a submissive stance.

"T-That's not what I meant, I-I was just trying to help-"

"I didn't **ASK** for an explanation!" She shrieked.

Vixenpaw was utterly lost now. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. She didn't want to upset Splashpaw even more.

"P-Please, we can talk about it...! I-I just want to help-"

"You're not **listening** to me! You're just listening to respond! You don't care about how I feel!" hissed Splashpaw.

"I-I am listening!"

" _No. You're. NOT!_ " she shrieked, "This is why I can't talk to anyone!"

Vixenpaw somehow barely willed herself to stand, tears threatening to escape her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but her voice got lost in her throat when Splashpaw turned away and dashed off, leaving Vixenpaw alone.

The apprentice looked into the direction where she saw Splashpaw's tail disappear into a bush. Thousands of thoughts raced around her mind, emotions blaring from every side, trying to pull her for a reaction, but in the end it was just...numb.

Her paw pads felt frigid against the forest floor, and her body felt heavy, dragging her down like a boulder was dropped on her back. Vixenpaw grimaced, gritting her teeth, and lowered her head as a pounding ache resounded in her chest. Her voice hitched and stuck in her throat.

She pressed her eyes shut and pinned her ears back, her mouth quivering a bit.

Just her

Alone

After what felt like hours to her, a soft gust of wind licked her ears, bringing her senses back to the world around her. She still felt a little numb in her paws but upon opening her eyes, she could once again see the dried pine needles scattered over the forest floor, and the sweet sound of chirping birds far in the woods.

She raised her head to look at the towering trees above her, and her mind wandered back and forth between Splash's words and the fluttering leaves.

A breath in. A breath out.

Vixenpaw sighed in defeat, raising her eyes to where Splashpaw had sat before, then turning around to trudge back to camp.

Her paws slowly regained feeling but still felt heavy as if filled with water, making every step sluggish and tired.

She soon made her way back to the bramble entrance and pressed her head through. The thorns scraped her fur again and untangled some of the clumps in the process, allowing her to relax a bit.

Vixenpaw flickered her ears as she suddenly stepped into a shadow and she turned her chin up to see who was obscuring the light so well.

Of course she found Riverheart, and all the other apprentices were with their families or mentors, celebrating their ceremony. Another shake of her head shooed away the intruding thoughts of Splash's anger.

"Is Splashpaw alright…?" He asked softly, and Vixenpaw wondered if he heard any of what happened.

"Oh...she'll come around…" Vixenpaw muttered, her voice wavering with uncertainty, which Riverheart clearly caught on to. To Vixenpaw's fortune, he chose not to pursue that topic.

"Hey, chin up. Otherwise you won't be at your best for your very first lesson." Riverheart purred, gaining Vixenpaw's interest and attention. "I'm going to show you Thunderclan territory."


End file.
